Osi Umenyiora and Chase Blackburn Are No Longer Giants: Unrestricted free agent DE Osi Umenyiora has signed a 2-year, $8.5-million contract with the Atlanta Falcons and LB Chase Blackburn has signed a 2-year contract with the Carolina Panthers. Umenyiora was drafted by the Giants in 2003 and Blackburn was signed by the Giants as a rookie free agent in 2005. Both players won Super Bowl rings on the 2007 and 2011 teams. Umenyiora finishes as the Giants’ seventh-leading sacker in team history with 75 career regular-season sacks. He was voted to the Pro Bowl in 2005 and 2007.

Domenik Hixon Visits the Raiders: Unrestricted free agent WR Domenik Hixon is visiting with the Oakland Raiders. Hixon visited with the Detroit Lions earlier this month but obviously did not sign a deal with the Lions.

Tim Hightower to Visit the Giants:The Daily News is reporting that HB Tim Hightower, who was released by the Washington Redskins in August 2012, will visit the Giants this weekend. Hightower has not played in a regular-season game since tearing an ACL in his left knee in October 2011.

New Pro Scout Joins Giants: Though not official, according to press reports, Notre Dame Director of Football Personnel Tim McDonnell is joining Giants as a pro personnel scout. McDonnell will work under Director of Pro Personnel Ken Sternfeld and evaluate talent on other NFL teams. The pro personnel department is crucial in evaluating veteran free agents.

McDonnell is former Giants’ co-owner Wellington Mara’s grandson and the nephew of current Giants’ President/CEO John Mara.

Giants.com Q&A With LB Mark Herzlich: The video of a Q&A session with LB Mark Herzlich is available at Giants.com.

Eric Kennedy

Founder of BigBlueInteractive.com, which is now entering its 21st season. Follow Eric on Twitter @BigBlueInteract.

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